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Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiea (fabricius)
The Australian cockroach closely resembles the American cockroach
, but can be separated from it by its slightly smaller size
, about 1 1/4 to 1 3/8 inches long and the wings of both sexes
cover the abdomen. The Australian cockroach life cycle requires
about one year from egg to adult. This world-wide species has
become established in the southern U.S. and in many greenhouses.
In the United States, it is most abundant in Florida and the
coastal southern states, and in California it ranges as far
north as San Francisco. It lives outdoors around the perimeter
of houses and is the most prevalent cockroach outdoors in south
Florida. Australian cockroaches are prevalent in leaf litter,
in and around shrubs, flowers and trees, tree holes, wood piles,
garages, crawl spaces, attics, and greenhouses. It is a pest
when it enters homes where it may eat holes in clothing and
feed upon book covers. It is apparently more vegetarian than
the other cockroaches. |
